


Grace and The Battle of Fitchburg

by jemmalynette



Category: Falling Skies
Genre: AU, Complete, Gen, OC
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-16
Updated: 2021-02-28
Packaged: 2021-03-18 23:02:16
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 8
Words: 13,678
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29497746
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/jemmalynette/pseuds/jemmalynette
Summary: Sequel to Heartbeat Away from Death. A fic about my Falling Skies OC, Grace Mason - Tom’s eldest child - and her experience during The Battle of Fitchburg. It’s been 4 weeks since Tom flew away on that beamer, and Grace is trying her hardest to find him and support her brothers through another ensuing attack. But as she struggles without her father’s support, can she make it out of Fitchburg alive?
Kudos: 1





	1. Chapter 1

**Title:** Grace Mason and The Battle of Fitchburg

**Rating:** T

**Warnings:** Some violence but not graphic

**Characters:** Grace Mason (OC), Hal Mason, Ben Mason, Matt Mason, mentions of Tom Mason, Casey Taylor (OC by littletonpace), Anne Glass, Jimmy Boland, Capt Weaver and most of the other main cast.

**Summary:** Sequel to  _ Heartbeat Away from Death _ . A fic about my Falling Skies OC, Grace Mason - Tom’s eldest child - and her experience during The Battle of Fitchburg. It’s been 4 weeks since Tom flew away on that beamer, and Grace is trying her hardest to find him and support her brothers through another ensuing attack. But as she struggles without her father’s support, can she make it out of Fitchburg alive?

**FF.Net Link:** https://www.fanfiction.net/s/13819399/1/Grace-Mason-and-The-Battle-of-Fitchburg

**A/N:** This fic closely follows the events of the comic book created by Paul Tobin and Juan Ferreyra. I used their story to write around as I would with the show. If you haven’t read my previous fic -  _ Heartbeat Away From Death _ \- it covers the events of S1 so please read, it can be found on my fanfic.net page! This fic will also feature Casey Taylor, an OC created by my friend littletonpace. Casey’s story can be found on her fanfic.net page, entitled  _ When Skies Are Grey _ .

* * *

**Chapter 1**

_ “Daddy? Daddy! Are you there?” _

_ Tom Mason all but burst into the bedroom, greeted with the tearful red cheeks of his little girl. As with most five year olds, it quickly became evident she’d had a nightmare. A little relieved that the emergency was not as dire as he first feared, he relaxed, sitting at the edge of her bed and offering her a sympathetic smile.  _

_ Grace watched him through watery eyes. “I dreamed you and Mommy were gone,” she sobbed. “I didn’t know what to do. I just cried and cried. I was so scared!” _

_ He gently wiped the moisture from her sweet face, removing the strands of brunette hair that had stuck to her cheeks. “It was just a bad dream, sweetheart. Mommy and I are fine. I’m right here.” _

_ She was reassured for the briefest of moments. And then a horrible thought struck Grace almost as bad as the dream itself. It made her choke up all the more. “But...what if it came true, Daddy? What if you and Mommy went away and I never saw you again? What would I do?” _

_ Tom shuffled towards her on the bed, his mind trying to come up with the best way to pacify the anxiety his daughter was feeling. He wasn’t one to lie to his children. If they had questions, he would answer them as honestly and as reassuring as he could. He figured this was one of those moments. He knew his daughter was young, but she was intelligent and very inquisitive. He knew she would understand whatever he told her. “One day,” he said in a quiet, comforting tone, “a long, long, long time from now, Mommy and I will have to go. It’s not that we want to leave you, but it’s just the way life works. All mommies and daddies have to leave eventually. But I don’t want you to worry. You won’t be alone. You’ll have your brothers. A family of your own. Most importantly, you’ll have yourself to rely on. I know you’ll be okay.” _

_ She looked up at him, pouting. “I don’t want you to go, Daddy.” _

_ He smiled at her before pulling her into a hug. “It’s alright, Grace. I’ll be right here for as long as you need me. I’m not going anywhere.” _

_ She held onto him tightly, as if she didn’t quite believe him. Closing her eyes, she buried her face in his chest. She would have quite happily stayed like this for the rest of the night, if he’d let her.  _

_ “I don’t want you to go…” _

**13 Years Later** __

Grace crossed out another location on her map as she sat cross-legged under the bridge where the Second Mass had made their latest campsite. Another dead end, she sighed to herself. No sign of her father. It had now been four weeks since she had last seen him, flying away to space in that beamer with Karen. It made her sick to think she had just left him. She should have argued with him more. At least they’d be together. But he made her promise. Her brothers needed her more, though she was starting to doubt that more and more by the day. 

Hal had quickly taken on more of a leadership role. It seemed the way he was coping with Tom’s disappearance was to take over his role as Second in Command. Or at least he liked to think so. He was more Weaver’s little side-kick, carrying out orders like a good soldier. He wasn’t interested in finding their dad anymore. What Grace really didn’t appreciate was Hal’s insistence on teaching Ben to become a fighter. The kid was barely fifteen. He was traumatised after what the Skitters did to him; he was still piecing together just what strange abilities that awful harness had left him with. He was probably angry and afraid. He didn’t need a rifle in his hand as well. It was bad enough seeing Hal with a weapon in his hand, but Ben too? 

Speaking of her brothers, she noticed Hal walking towards her. She tried to ignore him, looking down at her map and trying to figure out which area would be best to continue her search. He stopped in front of her, clearing his throat.

She put down the map and glanced up at him. “Can I help you with something?”

“Weaver needs volunteers for the next patrol.”

Grace sighed. “Sure. Sign me up.”

“Are you actually going to stick with the team this time or are you just going to sneak off to look for Dad?”

She rolled her eyes. “ _ Someone _ has to look for him. We should have never left Boston.”

Hal knelt down to her level. He appeared concerned. “Grace, we’ve talked about this. We had to move on. Skitters were closing in. We had no choice.”

She shook her head. “Weaver  _ gave  _ us no choice. There were tons of us willing to look for him, until he ordered us off the search. To go to Fitchburg of all places,” she scoffed.

“The only reason we’re in Fitchburg is to get supplies from that army base,” Hal reminded her. “Supplies that could help us protect the Second Mass!”

“What are the chances there’s anything there, Hal? It’s been months since the invasion. Don’t you think they would have cleaned it out by now?”

“Weaver has good intel that it’s untouched. We won’t know if we don’t try, Grace.”

“I just don’t know why I’m the only one who still cares about Dad. He’s coming back. You’ve all moved on like he’s dead. You were quick to take his place as Weaver’s Second.”

“At least I stepped up!” snapped Hal. “What have you done to help the Second Mass lately?” 

Grace raised an eyebrow at him, unimpressed.

Hal took the map away from her. “You’re distracted. He’s not out there. We’ve got to take care of ourselves for now. We don’t want to lose anyone else, do we?”

Grace snatched the map back. “You never gave up on Ben when he was taken. Why Dad?” 

Hal frowned. “I haven’t... _ given up _ . But this is different, Grace...they took him into space. He  _ and _ Karen are gone.”

She softened slightly. She had forgotten that not only had Hal lost his father, he had lost his girlfriend too. She had been lost to them for weeks already, having been harnessed by the Skitters and forced to be their slave. She had been there on the ship when she had put Grace in that cage. And she wasn’t alone. Grace shuddered at the memory of that new species of alien, the tall and skinny creature appeared to be controlling Karen, speaking through her. Maybe their father was being used the same way.

She squeezed her eyes shut for a second. No. She couldn’t think like that. She had to believe he was out there somewhere, on earth, looking for them. 

“I’m sorry,” she admitted. “I’m just worried about him.”

“Hey, we all are,” Hal said. “There’s still hope. They took him up there for a reason, right? They need him for something.”

She forced a smile. He was right. They would have just killed him there and then if that was their intention. 

“So, patrol with Dai tonight?” Hal suggested once again. “You in?”

“What are you gonna do?”

“I’m on watch with Ben.”

He clocked her expression immediately. 

“Don’t look at me like that. The kid needs to learn.”

“Dad wouldn’t like it.  _ I _ don’t like it.”

“He can do what he wants, and he wants to fight, okay? I don’t blame him, the crap he’s been through.”   
  


“He’s still just a kid.”

Hal smirked a little. “Check us out. Squabbling like we’re his parents. We aren’t, you know.”

Grace clocked his amused gaze and returned it solemnly. “We’re all he and Matt has now.”

Hal backed down. There was no more arguing after that. Grace agreed to join Dai’s patrol and Hal went off to teach Ben how to shoot, much to her chagrin. But he was right, she wasn’t Ben’s parent. She had hoped as the eldest, she would have some sway in what her brothers were exposed to. But most of the time, they were just as stubborn as her. She wasn’t Tom and she never would be able to lead the family the way he did. They needed him back and she was determined to find him.

Hal’s words had stirred up some guilt, though. She  _ was _ letting her determination to get their dad back distract her from her duties. She knew she was letting the Second Mass down, but they would all be thanking her once they had Tom Mason back.  _ Captain Weaver _ would be thanking her, and he would apologise for ordering off the search. She knew it. She wouldn’t lose hope. Not yet. 

She grabbed some supplies from the new ‘armoury’, which was basically a guarded tent full of weaponry, before meeting up with Dai and the patrol team by the bikes. He greeted her with an appreciative smile.

“Hey, Grace. Thanks for volunteering. I know you’ve had a lot on your mind lately with everything that’s happened…”

“With my dad being abducted onto an alien ship?” she finished sharply as she hopped on to her bike. “Yeah. That  _ has _ been a tad upsetting,” she added sarcastically, eyeing the rest of the team behind Dai who were staring at her. As her gaze returned to Dai, she forced an apologetic smile. “Sorry, Dai. You’re right. It’s been stressful. And I’m sick of people staring and gossiping about me.” She said that last part a little louder, glaring at the fighters behind Dai. 

There were seven of them in total. Most of the squad she knew at least a little bit, but since she returned from her short trip on the beamer, there had been all sorts of rumours and whispers about her. The worst one was that the aliens had secretly harnessed her, or biologically altered her in some way, and that she had  _ forced _ her father onto the ship. She had been perfectly candid in her experience, answering the many questions people had about what happened - especially with Captain Weaver - so she was unsure where the rumours had come from. But she supposed she  _ was _ the only person on earth (that they knew of) who had been on an alien ship and come back. Fear and curiosity was bound to follow in some form. 

“I can talk to them,” Dai offered, about to cut off his engine and dismount his bike, but Grace stopped him.

“Don’t bother. I’m a bit of a freak right now, I get it. Let’s just focus on the mission.”

Dai nodded and instructed the squad to move out. Grace concentrated on the drive, trying not to care what anyone else thought about her. There had been enough gossip about her family after everything that happened with Ben. She just wanted to get her family through the day and it was hard enough without idiots spreading their lies. 

_ Drive _ , she told herself, listening to the oddly soothing rumble of her engine.  _ Just drive. _


	2. Chapter 2

Weaver’s patrols had been reporting a lot of enemy activity close to the border, so today’s mission was to keep an eye on the surrounding areas to the West of the city. It was vital they kept out of the Skitters’ way. They didn’t want another fight just yet; they were still recovering from their losses in Boston.

As the wind swept through her hair, the cold chill hitting her face as she accelerated along the road behind the rest of her squad, she kept thinking how easy it would be to sneak off, make a quick turn, pass over the border to continue her search. But she couldn’t do that anymore. Dai trusted her and she said she would back him up. Besides, she knew how important it was to ensure the Skitters didn’t find their camp. 

As they neared the Western approach, she noticed Dai braking in front of her. She halted alongside him, hearing static come from his radio. 

“The other patrols?” she said optimistically. She knew they were out scouting the other sides of the border. She hoped they had good news.

Dai shot her a look as he brought the radio to his lips, the rest of the squad gathering around them. “This is Dai,” he said. “Anyone copy?”

More static. Then a weak voice could be heard through the crackling.

_ “Dai...thank God. This is Emerson at the North border. It’s not looking good this end. We’ve got enemy activity stretched out for miles. Hundreds of skitters, mechs. We haven’t got a chance of fighting them off. Not without the proper supplies.” _

Grace bit her lip worriedly as the rest of her team began mumbling nervously.

“What about the South patrol?” asked Dai. “Have you heard from them?”

_ “About thirty minutes ago,”  _ Emerson’s staticy voice replied.  _ “They reported several enemy bases along the border. They came under attack and they just cut out. Haven’t heard from them since. You’re the only other team I’ve made contact with.” _

“Alright. Head back to base. We’ve just got to our post. We’ll check out the area and report back asap.”

_ “Roger that. Good luck, guys. Emerson out.” _

Dai put the radio back in his coat pocket as the team stared at him, patiently awaiting some instruction. Grace breathed shakily. She was afraid for them. She was afraid for her family.

“We’re being surrounded,” one of the fighters, Longia, said under his breath.

“We’re dead,” another, Flores, lamented hopelessly.

“No,” Grace interjected sharply. “We’re not dead yet. Dai?” She turned to him, hoping for some moral support.

Dai clicked his tongue and massaged his temples as if in deep thought. “If the North and South borders are overrun, it’s our job to find a way out. The Second Mass is counting on us,” Dai said. “We can’t stay where we are.”

“Agreed,” Grace said, starting her engine again. “Let’s clear this side, we can get to the army base the long way around.”

After driving another half-mile up the road, the team decided to ditch the bikes and get a good vantage point on foot. The Western approach was quiet, mostly farmland and forest. The walk was quite uneventful, apart from the odd deer sprinting across their path and making them jump. Grace smiled. It was actually pretty nice to see the wildlife still thriving despite the current circumstances. As they walked further up the road, however, she began to realise why the deer may have been so spooked.

They came to a large field. The crops that grew there were of course long dead, but the area now, alarmingly, appeared to be the host of dozens of Mechs. Their large robotic bodies paraded round the field, joined by their skitter counterparts. There were too many to count. 

Grace held her breath as she tried to scrutinise what they were doing. The Mechs were dumping supplies, weapons. It looked like they were establishing a base here. Dai pulled her arm and they retreated back towards the bikes. They continued along the border, finding similar scenes along the way. Hundreds of them. There were no holes. No way out. They were being hemmed in. 

“We need to get back and tell the captain,” Dai instructed, already turning around. 

The others followed suit, beginning to turn their bikes around. 

“How did they find us?” a fellow fighter pondered anxiously. “We were so careful.”

“Maybe we have a spy,” Longia grumbled, glaring at Grace. 

Grace bit the inside of her cheek, returning his cold gaze. She was sick of these accusations. She knew what some people thought, that Karen had  _ done _ something to her. It was paranoia. She would remember something like that. She would know.

“You  _ have _ been sneaking off a lot lately,” Flores added. “Sure those aliens didn’t do something to your brain?” She tapped the side of her head.

“There’s no evidence of that,” Dai countered. “We’re all on the same side here. Come on, we have to get back before they spot us.”

They sped off back towards the base. Grace wasn’t looking forward to breaking the news to Weaver. She could tell he had been struggling without her dad to ground and advise him. He had been as tired and downcast as the rest of them since the attack on Boston. He had grilled her pretty hard about the alien ship when they got back - what she saw, who she saw, any information they could use against them. She had described as much as she could, but the only interesting thing she took note of was the new alien’s ability to speak through a harnessed body, like Karen’s. It certainly lined up with what they had seen so far, with the Skitters seemingly also being harnessed and under their control. 

_ Grace? _

The voice grabbed her out of her thoughts and she braked hard. It hit her like a ton of bricks. Her heart raced. She recognised it.

_ Grace! Grace! _

“Dad?”

She swore it was him. She looked beyond the path, into the thick forest, in between the trees. She saw a figure. She could see him, in his long black trench coat, with his shaggy beard, walking towards her. 

“Dad…” she held back a joyful sob. Was she dreaming? How was he here? She dismounted her bike, about to run towards him, but when she looked up again, a large heavy creature collided with her body and sent her and the bike sliding across the path.

The shock was worse than the pain; she was winded, the world was spinning. She let out a small groan, recollecting herself. She looked out at the forest, the figure of her father had gone. Then she saw the skitter above her, screeching at her. She screamed in return, pushing it away from her. Her mind was searching for what to do next when something hit the Skitter, forcing it back. It roared angrily.

Grace looked over and saw Dai and the others rushing over, weapons in hand. Dai fired another shot, angering the creature further. Grace took this opportunity to grab the trusty knife from her boot, grab the Skitter’s head and stab the knife as far as she could down the foul thing’s throat. There was a bit of a struggle as the creature forced her down on the ground again, but she used all her strength to keep forcing the knife through that soft spot. After a few seconds, its violent thrashes ceased and it flopped to the floor. 

Grace shoved it away, wiping the dark-coloured blood off her hands. She looked up to see Dai coming towards her on the bike.

“There’s more coming! Hop on!”

She grabbed her pistol from the ground and did as he said, looping her arms around his torso and holding on tightly. Dai accelerated down the path with the rest of the squad. Grace turned around to see a mix of Skitters and Mechs appear at the end of the road. Her heartbeat soared. They were gaining on them fast. Without hesitation, she released one hand from Dai and began shooting her pistol at the ensuing aliens. The rest of the gang started firing too, attempting to fight them off whilst re-entering the city, dodging buildings and abandoned vehicles. The added obstacles inevitably slowed them down.

“Come on!” Dai yelled at them, willing the team to go faster. “Go! Go!”

A car exploded behind them, forcing Grace to shield her eyes from the fire and debris. She held onto Dai as tightly as she could with one arm, trying desperately to aim with the other one, but it was difficult with all the twists and juddery turns Dai was making. The bullets kept missing, not that they were having a huge effect anyway. 

Longia and another man, Dean, came up beside them, swerving past debris. Dean was firing off a shotgun, managing to hit a few of the Skitters but having the same trouble aiming on the move. Longia was in the middle of suggesting a hiding spot when Grace watched a Mech blow them sky high, an eruption of fire and smoke forcing them to come to a stop. 

She and Dai caught their breaths, watching the fire engulf their friends, when three Mechs stormed through the ash and smoke. 

“Go!” she screamed. “Dai, go!”

Dai sped off towards the other fighters ahead of them, trying to warn them. “Dammit! Go, we have to go!” 

Suddenly, a loud explosion forced them back. Grace was aware of the hot fire, the deafening  _ BANG,  _ as she and Dai were forced off the bike and into the air. 

She hit her back pretty hard as she landed in the middle of the road. She groaned, rolling on her side, tensing every muscle as she fought through the pain. She was spluttering uncontrollably, the burning of the smoke irritating her lungs. It tasted like poison. 

She could hear Dai coughing beside her. She could hear the Mechs still firing, the bullets hitting the concrete inches away from her. She felt Dai grab her arm and pull her up. 

She looked over at the charred remains of the street. Their entire squad was gone. They were the only two left. 

“Grace, we need to go,” Dai’s strained voice told her. He pulled her back towards the bike, urging her to survive. 

She needed to survive.


	3. Chapter 3

They managed to lose the Mechs through some narrow alleyways, but three Skitters were still on their tail. Dai was driving them at speed back towards camp with the hope that the guards on watch would assist. That meant Ben and Hal. Grace quickly changed her mind from earlier - she hoped Hal had taught Ben well. She hoped Ben was ready for a fight, because that’s what they were bringing.

As they went over a bump, Grace steadied herself, holding onto Dai tightly as she aimed for the Skitter’s head. Shot after shot. She was gradually slowing them down, but it wasn’t quite enough. 

Her heart raced. She could hardly breathe with the fear, the adrenaline and the wind hitting her nostrils. She kept shooting, watching those awful creatures start to back off. But one was gaining on them fast. She shot again, but she was out of ammo. 

“Dai!” she screamed. “Faster! Hurry!”

She watched as the Skitter clamoured towards them, flailing madly, making that hideous screeching noise. Its claw reached out to her. She imagined it taking her head off. She watched helplessly as those sharp talons whipped towards her face - and then another shot forced it back

The brain matter from the headshot splattered onto her cheek. But she didn’t care. She was relieved. As Dai skidded the bike to a halt, Grace looked up to see Ben and Hal on the rooftop, the smoke billowing out from Hal’s rifle. They were home.

Hal, Ben, and a few other Second Mass allies came rushing towards them. Dai all-but collapsed into Ben’s arms as Hal took hold of Grace, making sure she was alright.

“What the hell happened?” 

Grace looked up from Hal’s concerned features to see Weaver pushing through the crowd.

“Where’s the rest of your patrol?” he demanded.

“Nobody else made it back,” Grace said, breathing heavily. “We’re all that’s left.”

Dai explained what had happened. The Second Mass were outgunned and outnumbered. They were being blocked in from all directions. Weaver admitted that they had not heard from the other patrols since they left. Grace and Dai were the only ones who remained.

The scout to the army base was called off. New orders were to hole up as best they could whilst a small group attempted to find a gap in the enemy’s forces. Ben offered to go, but Weaver refused. Thankfully. Instead, Hal and Maggie would join the team - Grace, however, was instructed to rest up and get treatment for her wounds. 

She hugged Hal tightly, telling him to be careful and that she was sorry she wasn’t coming with him.

“It’s okay, sis. You’ve done your part. Rest up, I’ll see you soon.”

He gave her a sweet smile and headed off with Griffin, Maggie, and a few others. She watched as he and Maggie walked side by side. At least he had Maggie to back him up, she thought. She had come a long way since they found her with Pope and his brother’s gang a few months back. But she was still as tough as ever, quickly earning her place in the Second Mass and proving herself to be a trustworthy fighter. She was one of them now. She noticed she and Hal had quickly become friends, though she had a niggly feeling there was something more there. She wasn’t sure how she felt about that. Hal was still reeling after Karen’s abduction and the revelation that she was being controlled by the enemy forces. She wasn’t dead, though she might as well have been. No one knew how or if they could get her back. 

She supposed she shouldn’t be too surprised if something did happen between Hal and Maggie. She had never known her brother to stay single for long. But something about this felt different. She had never really trusted a girl with Hal as much as she trusted Maggie.

Ben took her to the house where Anne had set up her infirmary. As she entered, she felt a bit guilty seeing all the wounded and sick people who were in a far worse state than her. All she had was a few scratches. But Weaver had insisted she get checked over. So many people had been hurt getting into Fitchburg, now it seemed they had to fight to make their way out.

“How was training with Hal?” Grace asked as Ben sat her down on an empty stool. 

He shrugged. “It was okay, I guess. I’ve got a long way to go.”

“You know, you don’t have to do this if you’re not ready.”

“I  _ am _ ready,” Ben snapped back. He looked away from her, frowning. “It’s just harder than I thought, that’s all. Killing things.”

She watched him sadly. She never thought she would be encouraging her brother to be a killer, but that’s what he had to become to survive. That’s what _ she _ had become. “It  _ is _ hard. But it will get easier. You have us to help you. And I suppose you have some  _ advantages _ .”

“Right. My powers.” His hand automatically went to touch those spikes on the back of his neck, the ones that were left there by the harness and went all the way down his spine. Grace hoped they would heal better, maybe drop off after they removed the harness that controlled him. But they were still there, giving him this weird connection to the aliens. They weren’t sure if it was a good thing or a bad thing at first, but these powers made him strong and agile. They gave him abilities that were superhuman. He and Rick were the only harnessed survivors who could put them on a level playing field to these aliens. But she was still scared what this connection to them meant. Sometimes Ben mentioned he could hear them,  _ feel _ them. That was probably the most messed up thing about it.

“To know your enemy, you must become your enemy,” Ben mumbled.

“Sun Tzu,” Grace replied, recognising the quote their dad used to say to them now and again. She arched an eyebrow. “Are you saying you  _ want _ to know them?”

“No. I know them already. I know what they did to our family. To Mom, to Dad, to you. And what they’ve done to me. I know them better than anyone.” His face darkened, anger flashing in his eyes. “I hate them. I hate them more than you can possibly know. And I’m going to kill them.”

She swallowed nervously, her large eyes watching the change in his expression. “Ben..”

She was interrupted by Anne coming over to check on her wounds. “Grace.” She smiled warmly, but Grace could tell she was exhausted. “Glad you made it back. How can I help?”

“Just a few cuts and scrapes. Honestly I’m fine. Weaver insisted I get checked over.”

“Let’s have a look.”

Grace held out her arm so Anne could inspect her wounds. As she did so, she noticed Ben silently leave the infirmary. She frowned.

“You’re lucky. All you need is a bit of antiseptic and that’s the only thing we’re not running low on.” 

Grace looked around at the busy room. She noticed many familiar faces sitting or lying down, hurt, sick - including Uncle Scott who had had a fever for a few days now. He was getting weaker by the day. They all were. “We’re really running out of everything, huh?”

Anne nodded gently. “We could really do with a supply run. I hope we can get out of here in time.”

“We will. Hal’s out there. He’ll find a way.”

Anne smiled as she picked up a cotton bud and started dabbing Grace’s cuts with the antiseptic. Grace hissed at the burn. 

“So what happened out there? It must have been pretty brutal.”

Grace sighed. She kept thinking back to that figure she saw in the trees. She saw her dad, heard him calling out to her. Maybe she really was going insane. Or was it something else? It was almost as if the aliens were purposely trying to distract her.

“Do you think the Skitters can make us see and hear things that aren’t there?” she pondered aloud. 

Anne paused for a moment, her dark eyes moving back and forth with thought. “I don’t know. The things we’ve seen them do...Anything seems possible at the moment. Why?”

Grace bit her lower lip, unsure whether she wanted to divulge what she had seen to their resident doctor. If this was just a side-effect of her current mental state, she was sure that would get back to Captain Weaver somehow, patient-doctor confidentiality be damned. And then she was sure to be benched for any future missions. They needed all the bodies they could get in the field lately. She couldn’t afford to sit idle and let the rest of the Second Mass take the heat.

Luckily, a visitor interrupted them. It was Dai; the concern was clear on his face.

“Grace.”

Anne took this as her cue to leave and politely excused herself. Grace knew what Dai wanted to confront her about. She suddenly felt the guilt hit her, the reality of what she had done settling in. 

“Dai, I’m so sorry…”

“What happened out there?”

She absentmindedly ran a finger along her cuts, the sting reminding her of her fatal mistake. She didn’t want to tell him the whole truth; he’d think she was crazy.

“I thought I saw something. I’m sorry, it won’t happen again.” She breathed out shakily. “I hold myself responsible for what happened to our team.”

Dai softened, reading the sorrow in her expression. “No. Don’t. Those Skitters were on our tail anyway. Look what happened to the other patrols. This would have happened regardless.” He came closer. “I know you’re still worried about your dad. We all are.”

“But it’s not an excuse,” Grace finished for him. She was grateful Dai was trying to reassure her, but she was better than this. She couldn’t let her guard down like that again. “I’ll do better. We’re still at war. That hasn’t changed.”

Dai seemed impressed. “Good.”

“You didn’t tell Weaver about this did you..?”

“No.”

She breathed a sigh of relief.

“But if this happens again, I’ll be forced to. You need your head back in the game. You’ve become a good fighter, Grace. The captain trusts you. Don’t let him down.”

“I won’t.” 

Dai nodded, satisfied. “I’m going back out to the perimeter with him now. I think it’s best you stay here for now.”

“I’m good,” she insisted, practically jumping to her feet. It didn’t sit right with her that other fighters - including her brother - were out there trying to find them a way out of this mess while she sat back at camp. “I can help.”

“You’ve done enough.” He didn’t mean it maliciously, but she still felt like he was referring to her mess-up. “Why not help the civilians? I’m sure they would appreciate it.”

Reluctantly, she agreed, letting Dai escape to his next task. She really wanted to follow him - to at least look out for Hal and his group while they attempted to save them all. She hoped her brother would manage a better job than she did. Hell, she knew he would. He’d been much more focussed than her lately. If anyone could get them out of this mess, it was Hal.


	4. Chapter 4

Grace kept her promise and assisted the civilians with moving supplies -  _ after  _ checking on her youngest brother, Matt. He was holed up in a house with all the other kids, scribbling in his drawing book. A few civilians were keeping an eye on the children, trying to keep them calm. It didn’t seem to be working that well, but Matt was okay for now. He understood what was happening - he wanted his family around him. Apparently Ben had sat with him briefly, but they all had things to do. He practically begged Grace to stay with him. It broke her heart to leave him, but she wanted to help the resistance - even if it was just moving supplies. She promised she would be back soon.

After leaving Matt, she began carrying a few boxes from the camp to the houses. It was mostly food, some ammo, some medicines - but these were getting worryingly scarce.

“Need any help with that?” a familiar voice offered.

It was reassuring to see Casey Taylor’s friendly face greet her - she was holding her hands out to take some of the load.

“Thanks.” Grace smiled, taking some items out of the box for Casey to carry.

“Sounds like you’ve had a hell of a day,” Casey remarked as they walked back towards the houses, passing several other panicking civilians who were packing up as much as they could to hide from the oncoming attack. 

“Yeah…”

“You okay?”

Grace glanced over at her. She considered Casey a friend by now - she had been a real comfort to her back at the school when they first started talking, back when she was going through all that stuff with Ben. There was something about her that she knew she could trust. 

“I feel like I’m losing my mind,” Grace admitted. 

“Doesn’t everyone with all that’s going on?” Casey joked.

“No, I mean...I could’ve sworn I saw my dad out there. I was so desperate for it to be him, I endangered everyone. I got most of my squad killed.”

Casey stopped walking, looking Grace in the eyes.

“Don’t put that on yourself. From the sounds of it, those Skitters and Mechs were everywhere. It’s a miracle you made it back. None of the other scouts did.”

Grace looked hopeless. “I’m letting everyone down, Casey. I’m not sure I can do this without my dad.”

Her companion shook her head. “That’s not true. I’ve seen you these past few weeks. You’ve fought harder than any fighter here. If anything, Tom’s absence has made you more determined. And you’ve been great with your brothers.”

As usual, Casey’s kind words warmed her. She wanted to believe at least some of it was true. She felt like she didn’t deserve such friendship, especially when she hadn’t had the time lately to give much back. She had plenty of people in the Second Mass she considered friends - Anne, Jimmy, Lourdes, even Maggie. She admired them and she worked well alongside them, but there wasn’t a lot of time for personal discussions. She honestly didn’t know much about any of them.

“Did you have any brothers?” Grace found herself asking aloud as they continued walking. 

“Only child,” Casey replied. “That’s why I think you’re doing such a good job. I only had a small family growing up. Less people to worry about. It was just me and my mom for so long…”

Grace sensed the sadness in her eyes. “What happened to her?”

“Mech attack, not long after the invasion. It was the first time we ever saw one. She was so scared. One minute she was there, the next...she was gone.”

“I’m sorry. They killed my mom too.” She paused. “Were you close?”

Casey nodded. “My dad died ten years back so we were all each other had. But we were happy. Before the world went to hell. How about you and your mom?”

Grace looked down, shifting the box’s weight on to her hip. “She kept me sane, living in a house full of boys.” They both smiled. “People think my dad and I are close, but the truth is, before my mom died, she and I were the close ones. She was my best friend. I idolised my dad, but my mom - she was everything. After she was gone...I realised how strong she really was. Raising four kids, fighting breast cancer. She always knew what to do or say to make everyone feel better, even when inside she was hurting.” Her smile faded. “And then the Skitters killed her.”

“I’m so sorry, Grace.”

Grace shook her head solemnly. “Everyone has a story like ours by now. What happened, happened. Now I just want revenge for my family - and  _ your _ family. For all of us. We have to win. For  _ them _ .”

“I hear that.”

They picked up the pace again. As they walked across the road, Grace noticed Sarah attempting to calm down baby Charlotte outside one of the houses. 

“Sarah? What are you doing out here? You should get inside.”

Heading towards her, they could see the poor child was in a lot of distress.

“I wanted to find Doctor Glass,” Sarah explained desperately. “Charlotte just won’t stop crying.”

“Poor thing,” Casey said. “She does look uncomfortable.”

“Probably just a cold,” Grace added, noting the pink hue in the baby’s tiny nose. She was used to seeing that in her brothers when they were little. They would always scream like it was something much more tragic though. “Anne might have something left that can help. I’ll show you where she’s set up.”

Sarah appeared grateful for the offer, smiling wearily. She looked so tired. It couldn’t be easy surviving an alien invasion as a single mother with a newborn. 

“Thanks. I’m just scared for her, that’s all. With those aliens out there, I’m afraid I can’t protect her.”

“You’ve done a good job so far,” Casey assured her. “Besides, she has the whole Second Mass looking out for her.”

“Damn right,” Grace chuckled. “Come on. Casey and I need to drop supplies there anyway.”

When they got to the infirmary, things had calmed down at least a little. The patients had all been given designated resting areas, which mostly included blankets and pillows on the floor. Still, it was better than nothing. 

Grace saw Anne in a room with Uncle Scott. He was laid out on a cot, incredibly pale. He looked like he was barely hanging on. The medicine Anne was giving him didn’t appear to be making a difference.

“Anne says he’s slipping into pneumonia,” Lourdes explained, appearing next to them. “We don’t think he has long…”

Grace felt her heart sink. Scott had been a helpful addition to the Second Mass. As a knowledgeable engineer, and a volunteer teacher to the children of the resistance, he had proved a valuable asset to their community. She still fondly remembered helping him teach his classes. But this illness had him bad, and since his wife died a couple of weeks prior, he hadn’t much interest in fighting it much longer. 

After a long beat, Lourdes noticed Sarah and the baby. “Is everything okay?”

Sarah was about to speak over Charlotte’s whimpering when the door burst open. It was Hal and Maggie, carrying a wounded fighter. Blood rushed from bullet holes in his stomach. Anne rushed over to help lay him down when more injured were being carried through the door, including a young woman with a bleeding leg. 

Grace hurried over to Anne, dropping some of the medical supplies she had fetched from the camp. “Will any of this help?”

Anne rifled through the box for a few seconds before pausing. 

“He’s losing blood fast,” Hal announced, trying to stem the flow with a shirt and some bandages. “What should we do, Anne?”

Grace watched Anne, frozen. She could tell she was thinking hard. 

“Anne?”

Anne handed the box back to Grace and knelt down by the young woman. “I need an IV for Camille.” 

Hal appeared disturbed. “Can’t you at least give him something for the pain?”

“We don’t have anything left,” Anne said regretfully. “There’s nothing I can do.”

Grace stepped back, watching Anne begin to work on Camille’s leg. Hal was still pressing the bandages to the guy’s torso, covered in his blood, with no choice but to watch him die. She tried to block out the man’s cries of pain and fear. She looked over at Casey and Sarah, mirroring their looks of horror as Charlotte continued wailing, the realisation setting in: 

They were all screwed.


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

Grace needed to get out of there. She’d seen enough people die tonight as it was; she couldn’t stomach any more. Anne was doing her best but with the lack of supplies, it just wasn’t enough. They weren’t even sure how they were going to move everyone to the secondary base - which seemed to be Weaver’s backup plan. Hal’s group had tried their best to find a way out, but they had failed. They were going to be hunted down like dogs if they didn’t get out now. Problem was, Mechs were moving in fast. They were running out of time. 

She took in a breath of cool air as she escaped the building. The chill stung the back of her throat as she inhaled. She felt like crying. Things were getting from bad to worse and she couldn’t contain it any longer. She didn’t know what to do, what to say. Her father would have known. All she wanted was to hug him, for him to give her the strength she needed to get herself and her brothers through this. But she was alone. She needed to find that strength in herself. She had no choice; she couldn’t fall apart now. 

She raised her head up, giving herself some internal pep-talk. What would Tom say to her? That she wasn’t alone? That she still had her brothers and what remained of the Second Mass? She knew she was strong - even stronger with her family behind her. They had been through tough scrapes before. She would make it. Besides, she would need to be there for when her father got back, so she could explain all this craziness to him.

She shivered in the bitter cold, about to head back in when she spotted a figure in the shadows a few houses down. Another hallucination, perhaps? Something worse? She squinted, her hand beginning to reach for her pistol.

When she saw who it was, she sighed with relief. “Jimmy? You shouldn’t be out here.”

The young fighter came closer, gripping the strap of his rifle. He looked a little sheepish, like he was hiding something. “I need to tell you something.”

She raised an eyebrow. The kid looked like he was hesitant to tell her, like he wanted to but he was battling with himself. “What is it?”

* * *

Grace was about ready to kill Weaver as she began steaming towards his war room. She’d been questioning his leadership ever since Royal Street, when he went MIA and they found out he’d been dosing up on sleeping pills. She wondered if he was still at it. That’s the only way she could explain what Jimmy had told her.

“I’ll give that captain a piece of my mind,” she seethed. “Sending Ben out there with Rick! What was he thinking?”

Jimmy was chasing after her, looking as though he was regretting telling her. “I think he was thinking they might be able to use their abilities to find a way out of Fitchburg?”

“That’s ridiculous - he barely understands these abilities yet! Weaver had no right. And sending him out there with Rick? I still don’t trust that kid.”

Grace still sensed the burning in her wrist from where Rick crushed it back at the school. He had no control over himself - he still thought he belonged with the Skitters. The kid was messed up. Grace had told him to stay away from Ben. For the most part, Rick had avoided everybody since then, which suited Grace fine, but now it seemed Ben’s life was in his hands. 

Jimmy caught up to her, grabbing her hand before she could storm into Weaver’s office. He was surprisingly strong. “Grace, wait. I saw which way they went. We can track them.”

She paused, her heart rate increasing even more. If that were even possible. “Show me.”

Jimmy started to lead the way when they heard a barking behind them. His dog, Nemo, came bounding after them, jumping up at Jimmy energetically. 

“No, boy. Go back!” Jimmy ordered.

Nemo stopped jumping and dropped back on all-fours. He stared up at Jimmy, panting, refusing to turn around. 

“It’s okay, Jimmy. Bring him. Maybe he can sniff out Ben? Just keep him close, okay?”

Jimmy nodded, then smiled at Nemo and told him to heel. The three of them headed down the road towards the city.

The atmosphere felt tense as they approached the abandoned city. Just hours ago, Grace was being chased through these streets by Skitters. Now it was empty. Dead quiet. Skitters could come round the corner at any moment. She clutched her pistol tighty, looking around her carefully as they walked.

She almost jumped when she heard Jimmy’s nervous voice. He was walking alongside her, glancing shyly at her every now and then.

“Grace...I...if we don’t make it out of this…”

She looked over at him. He looked terrified. Almost as scared as when he had a Mech turret in his face. 

“Of course we will,” she said.

“But if we don’t.” He looked down at Nemo awkwardly, as if the animal could provide him some kind of courage. 

Grace stared at him. She remembered Maggie saying something about how smitten the boy was with her. It wasn’t about that, was it? Surely they had more important things to get on with then talking about a silly crush from a teenage boy. Whatever it was, he appeared to be having some difficulty spitting it out, which led to Grace becoming increasingly impatient.

“Jimmy, can we just concentrate on finding Ben?”

It came out harsher than she intended, but she wasn’t interested in hearing his confession now - or ever. She didn’t want to hurt the poor boy’s feelings, but there was nothing he could say to make her feel the same way - especially now. There were more important things at stake.

Disappointed, he looked away from her. “Yeah...sure.”

It was unsettling walking through those dark streets. It was so silent, the slightest noise made her heart stop. She knew they were out there. She felt like they were watching her, waiting to strike. Nemo was exploring just ahead of her, sniffing along the damp road. Jimmy was keeping a close eye on him, making sure he didn’t stray too far. 

She looked over at him, feeling guilty. “Look, Jimmy. Sorry. I’m just stressed.”

“I get it. You’re worried about your family. I guess I’m lucky. No family to worry about anymore, except Nemo.”

She frowned, feeling her heart ache for him. The kid lost his parents in the initial invasion. She knew he blamed himself for not being with them. It must be lonely.

“That’s not true,” she said. “You’re my family too.”

He glanced back at her, forcing a smile. “Thanks.”

She returned the smile. It was then, in the brief seconds Jimmy looked away, that Nemo decided to bolt.

“Nemo!” Jimmy launched after him, Grace following, expecting a fight to break out any minute.

Nemo took them to the next block, towards an overturned car. Jimmy managed to catch up to him, wrapping an arm around him. The dog barked and wagged his tail, unaware of the heart attacks he had given his companions. 

Grace caught her breath, thankful the dog had come to a halt.

“Grace?”

She looked up to see Ben and Rick come out from behind the car, looking increasingly confused by her and Jimmy’s presence.

“Ben? Thank God!”

“What are you doing here?”

“Making sure you don’t get killed,” answered Jimmy, patting Nemo to let him know he’d done a good job.

“We’re fine,” Ben said in an annoyed tone. “Captain Weaver sent us on a mission.”

“And he shouldn’t have,” snapped Grace. “Can you imagine how Dad would have reacted?”

“Dad isn’t here, Grace. We’re on our own now. You have to stop pretending like he’s still here.”

“You sound like Hal,” she muttered.

“Maybe Hal has the right idea. He’s teaching me how to fight. It’s not that long ago you were encouraging me to hang out with Jimmy so I could learn from him!”

Grace glanced over at Jimmy guiltily before looking back at her brother. “That was different. We’d just got you back and I wanted you to have a friend. I wanted you to feel safe!”   
  


“Well, I don’t feel safe. Far from it. I still sense those things and so does Rick. We might as well use what they did to us to fight back.”

She felt like screaming at him, but she knew he had a point. “Fine. We’ll discuss it back at camp.”

“No, Grace. Weaver gave us a mission. We told him we’d find a way out and that’s what we’re gonna do.”

She blinked at him. She hadn’t expected him to be this rebellious. He reminded her of Hal, or herself. Stubborn. Determined. These qualities were new for Ben; he obviously felt strongly about this. Could she really be mad at him for that?

She looked back at Jimmy, unsure what to say. “I don’t think he’s going to change his mind,” he said. “I know I wouldn’t.”

She sighed. “Fine. But let’s get off the street. Those things could be nearby.”

“They are,” said Ben. “I can feel them.”


	6. Chapter 6

They took cover in a boarded up pharmacy, watching the silhouettes of the Skitters pass by through the slats in the windows. Grace could hear Nemo’s low growl as he stretched up to the window, sensing the enemy. 

“ _ Hey. Boy, down. _ ” 

Jimmy gently pulled Nemo back to the floor and away from the window before standing next to Grace. She felt Jimmy’s hand lightly brush against hers, as if he wanted to reassure her, or maybe himself. She concentrated on the figures crawling through the street, holding her breath for what seemed like several minutes until they eventually disappeared. 

“Finally,” she breathed. She glanced at Jimmy next to her. He retreated from her awkwardly, instead muttering something to Ben. Grace began to wander around the pharmacy, hoping there might be something useful to take back with them, but it looked like it had been picked clean. She glanced back at Rick who was still peeled to the window with that mournful frown on his face. He looked more depressed than he was at his own dad’s funeral. She was thinking about approaching him when she heard Nemo’s growl again on the other side of the room.

“What is it, Nemo?” said Jimmy.

They found him scratching at a back door. As Grace approached, she thought she could hear a thud from the other side. Instinctively, she raised her weapon. 

“Sounds like someone’s back there,” Ben said in a quiet voice.

In unison, the four of them cautiously advanced towards the door. Grace watched nervously as Ben reached for the handle. She pointed her pistol, preparing to shoot whatever was on the other side, when suddenly, the door swung open with such a force it sent Ben flying to the ground. Grace’s gaze quickly turned to the figure in the doorway.

It was a man. He was on the floor with his hands up, eyes wide with alarm. 

“Wait, don’t shoot” I thought you were one of those things!”

Jimmy helped Ben up, staring cautiously at the stranger. “Who are you?”

The man slowly got to his feet, lowering his hands. He was perhaps in his late 20s. He didn’t seem a threat, but Grace stayed cautious all the same. ”Name’s Jamil. I thought I was the only one left. Those bugs tore us a new one. You’d better run before they do the same to you.”   
  


By now, the boys had lowered their weapons, but not Grace. “Thanks for the advice, Jamil. We’ll be on our way now…”

Jamil appeared concerned. “You’re not heading towards the university, are you?”

She raised an eyebrow. “What’s it to you?”

“That’s where we got pinned down,” he admitted, the regret shadowing his features. “They have the whole east side covered. I barely made it out of there alive.”

She narrowed her eyes at him. “Funny how you’re the sole survivor,” she said, her tone cloaked with suspicion. 

“Grace,” Jimmy said quietly. “I think he’s telling the truth.”

“I can help you find a way out,” Jamil offered. “We need to get out of here before they kill us all.”

“I don’t think so.”

“Maybe we could take him back to the Second Mass,” Rick suggested.

“Shut up, Rick,” snapped Grace. 

“You have more people?” Jamil said eagerly. “Please, let me help.”

Grace’s arm started to ache from holding the gun at him. Honestly, he didn’t look like a danger to them. But neither did Sonya. And she was selling people out to the aliens. If she left him here, he could scurry off to his alien buddies and tell them about the Second Mass. They would be in the process of moving people to the second site by now. Plan B. It was crucial nothing interrupted that. Then again, Jamil could’ve just been another lone survivor, desperate for some allies. Desperate to survive.

She felt Jimmy hovering beside her, his hand gently lowering her gun. “Not everyone is our enemy,” he reminded her softly.

True. They weren’t all like Sonya. Or Clayton. Two individuals who made her skin crawl. They had betrayed their own race by making deals with the aliens and handing over defenceless kids to them. Her anger had got the better of her when she found out. She almost killed Sonya, who was probably still out there somewhere searching for her next victims. Clayton wasn’t so lucky. She killed him to save Hal. It still haunted her, but she didn’t regret it.

Looking at Jamil, she wondered if he had that same coldness behind those eyes. After a few long seconds, she lowered her gun back to her side.

“Fine. He can come with us. But I’m keeping a close eye on him.”

Jamil sighed heavily with relief. “Thank you. Thank you so much -” He stopped, waiting for her to introduce herself.

She paused a beat. “Grace. And this is Jimmy, Rick, and Ben.”

He gave them all an awkward smile. “Okay. I can tell you exactly where  _ not _ to go. Let me show you.”

* * *

Jamil began to lead them south. Not that he knew it, but they were getting closer to the secondary base. Grace still wasn’t sure if she trusted him, but he seemed to be right about the roads being clear. Hopefully that meant the Second Mass were safe in their migration to the new camp. 

“So this Second Mass you mentioned, is that part of this resistance I’ve heard about?” Jamil asked curiously. 

“That’s right,” Ben replied. Grace shot him a look, as if mentally chastising him for revealing anything about themselves. He didn’t even notice. “There’s hundreds of us.”

“Wow,” Jamil seemed impressed. “That’s a lot of people fighting our corner. I’ve been with the same small groups for months. I mean, until now.” He looked down at his shoes. “It would be nice to fight back for a change. Do you think I could join you?”

“I’m sure our captain would let you,” said Jimmy. “Need all the help we can get. We can talk to him once we get to the new base.”

“ _ New _ base?”

“Ah, well. With all the Skitters moving in, we had to leave the old one,” Jimmy explained. “Plan B.”

“Where is it?” Jamil asked.

“Not far,” replied Grace. “We can take you there and see what the captain wants to do with you.”

“Not yet,” Ben argued. “We haven’t found a way out yet.”

Grace exhaled sharply. “Ben-”

“Don’t try to talk me out of it, Grace.”

“They need us back at base. Hal and Matt need us. It’s too dangerous for us to be out here. It’s too dangerous for you, especially with what’s happening to you.”

Ben scoffed. “You’re not Dad, Grace. You’re not in charge of me.”

“No, I’m not Dad. I’m your sister,” she snapped, feeling all that hurt and anger of the past month come to the surface. “And with Mom and Dad gone, I’ve been trying to keep you all safe! But you all make it so damn hard!” She knew what it was like now, to be a parent to these boys, trying to protect them when they didn’t want to be protected. She was on the other side now. She suddenly felt awful for ever giving her dad a hard time. This job wasn’t easy on the best of days, but during an alien invasion? Impossible. She couldn’t keep them safe. They were fast growing into men, men who had as much rage and sorrow as she did, and they would do whatever they had to to win this war. It’s what made them Masons. And she hated them for it. She blinked away her tears, feeling them prick her eyes. “I just can’t lose anyone else,” she murmured. 

Ben stared at her. At first she wasn’t sure if he was going to yell at her, ignore her, hug her. He seemed to be deciding that himself. He opened his mouth to say something, but was interrupted by Nemo’s loud barking. 

“ _ Shhh! Quiet, boy _ !”

They all turned to look at the golden retriever, who appeared to be barking at nothing in particular, his head turned up to the sky. The barking was incessant and filled with panic.

“What is it?”

Grace watched the animal with confusion. The dog’s noise eventually drowned out as she concentrated on the noise above. 

She heard the beamer first, swooshing overhead. It went by so fast. Their heads snapped upwards, following the ship as it headed in the direction of the old Fitchburg armoury. 

_ Plan B. _

She could just about make it out in the distance. She watched the beamer fly over and then…

She felt the blast, even from that far away. The light was so bright, Grace shielded her eyes, felt the warmth tingle her skin, the vibration on the ground. The eruption of noise seemed to go on forever, like thunder, echoing in the distance.

She heard a small, fearful voice next to her. Jimmy.

“Was that...was that the Second Mass? Are they…”

Her eyes were glued to the disaster. Black smoke filled the sky and a bright fire lit up the remains of the building, now a pile of bricks spilling out onto the road. Her friends. Her family. She couldn’t speak.

“I told you,” Jamil said darkly. “I told you this would happen!”

Everything felt so still. She could hardly see or hear anything - and then her thoughts returned to her brother as she heard him announce they had to go. He was furious.

“Go where?” demanded Jimmy, grief-stricken. “They’re all dead!”

She closed her eyes. What could she say? What could she do to make this better? To fix this?

“They’re not dead,” Ben retorted, already heading down the street. 

“They must have been in that building,” Rick said logically. “Why else would they have blown it up?”

A loud thud made Grace open her eyes again. Ben had pinned Rick against a wall. That made her snap out of it; she’d never seen Ben act so violently. He’d never so much as been in a fight, now he was the one starting it. 

“They’re not dead!” he repeated. “Not Hal, not Matt! Neither is Weaver, Anne, or Uncle Scott!”

Grace could hear his voice cracking. She felt her own throat closing up hearing the names of her family and friends who could all now be…

“Ben’s right,” she said, peeling Ben off of Rick and placing an arm around his shoulder to calm him. “They could’ve seen the beamer coming. They could have got out before…”

“I hope you’re right,” said Jimmy, wiping his wet eyes.

“So what now?” said Jamil.

Grace watched as Ben shook her off and carried on down the street. 

“Weaver gave us a job to do,” he called back to them. “And we’re gonna do it. The Second Mass needs an escape route and we’re gonna find one.”

Grace immediately followed him. She realised it was the first time she had ever really followed him anywhere. She’d never seen him so confident and determined. It made her heart swell with pride, distracting her from the horror she had just witnessed. She had to believe - like Ben. She had to have hope they made it out. It was the only way she’d survive.


	7. Chapter 7

It was Jamil who found the manhole to the sewer. The Skitters were getting closer; Ben and Rick sensed it. Instead of going through them, Jamil had the great idea to go  _ under _ them. Even though she wasn’t thrilled with the idea of walking through an old sewer, it sure beat getting blown up by Beamers or shot by Mechs. Perhaps Jamil wasn’t all bad.

It was dark - and the smell was rancid - but it was a way out. Jimmy insisted on bringing Nemo, so Grace helped carry him down the rusty ladder. The tunnels went all around the city, including outside the Mech perimeter, and because the sewers were so old they were large enough for the Second Mass to make their escape. 

They’d have to be careful though. The many twists and turns made it a confusing journey - even Nemo’s good nose wouldn’t do any good down here. Grace tried to mark their path by scratching an X on to the walls every so often with a rock. Now was the hard part: finding the Second Mass.

“I don’t suppose you guys had a Plan C?” Jamil asked, half joking, as they walked across the damp floor. Grace had got used to the smell by now. She just wanted to get her people down here asap.

“There was barely enough time to come up with a Plan B,” she sighed, making another cross on the wall. “Best bet is to go back the way we came, towards where the armoury was hit. They couldn’t have gone far.”

Jamil looked impressed. “These must be some pretty badass people if you think they made it out alive.”

“They are,” she smiled.

“You really think they made it?” Jimmy asked as he came up beside her. 

She looked at the soreness around Jimmy’s blue eyes where he had been wiping his tears away. The Second Mass was the only family he had left. He needed hope, they all did. 

“Of course.” She smiled warmly at him. “I mean  _ some _ of Captain Weaver’s choices are questionable,” she added, glancing back at Rick and her brother. “But he knows what he’s doing. He’s a good leader. We’ve lived through some terrible attacks, fought impossible battles. I have to hand it to him, he led us through it all.”

Jimmy responded with a weak smile before catching up to Nemo who was exploring ahead. Grace’s legs were starting to ache. Her body still hurt from her last mission, the bruises forming tenderly on her head and hips. The brief respite underground meant the pain was more noticeable. She was so used to ignoring it. She could cry over her wounds later, right now she needed to concentrate on finding her people.

Following the X’s on the walls, they easily found their way back to their starting point. Grace just spotted the ladder they came down when they heard a thunderous noise further down the tunnels.

Jamil turned his head towards the direction of the noise. “What the hell was that?” 

“I feel them,” revealed Rick behind them. “They’re here.”

“The Skitters?” Grace asked.

She was answered by loud, echoing thuds from up above.

“I don’t think they’re alone,” Ben added. “Come on, they must be after the resistance.”

Ben launched down one of the tunnels, leading the others towards the noise. Grace heard loud bangs, gunfire. But instead of frightened, she was relieved. It meant they were here, they were alive. They were  _ fighting back. _

He was already half-way up the ladder before Grace could stop him. She watched as Ben peered out from the manhole cover. 

“They’re here!” he announced excitedly. “Looks like they’re in trouble, come on!”

Grace followed Ben up to the surface as quickly as she could, Jamil and Jimmy close behind with Nemo. As she pulled herself out, she heard bikes and vehicles where Pope and a few other fighters were racing around the Skitters, attempting to lead them away. 

“Grace, it’s Hal!” Ben called to her. 

She spun around to see Hal and Matt come running out of a building. Matt ran directly into her arms.

“Matty,” she breathed. “You okay?”

Matt nodded, though he looked terrified. She understood why. She saw more Skitters in the distance, running towards them, and she could feel the vibrations from the Mech’s heavy footsteps.

Hal rushed over, giving Ben a brief embrace. “Glad you’re all okay.”

The captain was behind him. Grace held back her anger upon seeing him. Now wasn’t the time to confront him. He appeared to be focused on Jamil. 

“Who’s this?”

“It’s okay, captain,” Ben replied. “He helped us find a way out.”

Weaver glanced at Grace, as if for some confirmation.

She nodded. “His name’s Jamil. Ben’s right, he’s good.” She looked back at Jamil, her suspicion faded. He smiled gratefully at her.

“Alright,” said Weaver. “Get inside the post office! I could use some good news.”

Inside the building was most of the Second Mass. Matt went to huddle behind some overturned desks with the other kids. They were protected by several fighters who had their weapons pointed out the windows of the post office. Grace noted there seemed to be a lot more in their arsenal than before she left. She guessed they hit that military base afterall. 

Ben explained their escape route to Weaver and the plan was immediately made to evacuate groups to the tunnel. There wasn’t much time. The attack was imminent. The Mechs were coming from all directions. 

Rick’s group went first, taking several civilians and a few fighters while the rest of them covered them from the post office. Grace grabbed a rifle and started shooting from one of the windows while Ben prepared his group to go next.

Heart racing and body trembling, she shot off as many rounds as she could before the Skitters could get to Rick’s group. She watched the bullets blast through alien brains and body parts, witnessed their corpses falling. By now her aim had considerably improved. She had no choice - she had to get them before they got her. The new weaponry certainly helped as she heard machine guns and rockets being launched from the roof. The street outside was absolute carnage.

Through the mess of flying bullets and bloody corpses, she spotted Jimmy running around on his own, yelling. What the hell was he doing? His group was due to go next. She tried calling out to him. As he turned towards her, a Skitter came out of nowhere, about to pounce on him.  _ Bang.  _ The Skitter exploded before her eyes, Jimmy shielding himself from the shower of blood. 

Grace glanced over to her left, surprised to see Casey Taylor pointing a smoking rifle out the window. 

“Good shot,” complimented Grace.

The other woman caught her breath. “Thanks. Had a bit of practice at the school before we left. Someone handed me a rifle to cover. Instinct took over I guess.”

“Well, keep it up!” Grace encouraged, getting to her feet. “We need all the help we can get!” 

She rushed over to the entrance of the post office, pulling Jimmy inside. “Are you okay? What are you doing?”

Jimmy wiped the putrid alien blood off his face. He seemed distressed, but not about the blood. “I lost Nemo!” he cried. “He just ran off, I can’t find him!”

“Oh.” Grace felt sorry for him. She knew how much he cared about his dog. 

“I have to go get him!”

“You can’t!”

“He’s my friend, Grace! I can’t just leave him.”

Grace frowned. Then she took him by the shoulders. “Jimmy, I’m sorry about Nemo. But you have a job to do. These people are relying on you. You have to get them to safety!”

“But…”

“Jimmy, please. I’ll look out for Nemo, I promise.”

He hesitated, locking his gaze with hers. “Alright...I’m ready.”

She patted him on the shoulder before beckoning to the group of civilians waiting to be escorted. “Good luck.”

Grace returned to her post beside Casey. There were so many people to cover, it was almost impossible. The amount of people in the post office began to noticeably dwindle. Now there were just a handful of fighters and civilians left. No sign of Nemo though.

“Alright Grace, you’re up!” Weaver yelled, waving at her. “Next group.” 

She sprang up, looking around at her group. She had Casey, Sarah and Charlotte, Anne, Scott, among others. Ben had taken Matt, and Hal was going to be in the last group. She took a deep breath, waiting for Weaver’s signal.

“Go, go, go!”

She advanced into the chaos outside, running low as the bullets whipped overhead, leaping over bodies - alien and human. She couldn’t think too much, she just had to run as fast as she could. She panted hard, firing off her rifle at anything that came close. Glancing back at her group, she became aware of a Mech stomping towards them. 

_ Oh no. _

The lights on its armour lit up blue, preparing to fire.

“RUN!” Grace screamed.

But the hit was inevitable. The blue lights streamed towards her and Anne, and then she felt someone violently shove her away. She stumbled and fell to the floor, landing on her sore hip. The pain shot through her body, but she was quickly distracted by the sight of poor Uncle Scott being shot through the chest. 

He fell limp, his blood splattered all over his clothes and quickly pooled on the ground.

“Uncle Scott!” Anne shrieked. But there was nothing she could do. Except throw a grenade directly at the machine responsible. Anne picked Grace up and they continued sprinting, shielding their faces from the explosion that followed.

Steadying herself on the shaking ground, Grace looked up to see Ben was back on the surface, running back for the post office. 

“Ben?!” She began to follow him when Anne grabbed her arm.

“Grace, it’s too dangerous.”

“He’s my brother,” she said, determined to go after him. She took off her rifle and gave it to Anne. “Get the rest of the group to the tunnels. You and Casey can -” She turned around and felt her heart in her throat. Casey was gone, as was Sarah and Baby Charlotte. When did she lose them? Were they..? She shook her head helplessly. “Just go. I’ll meet you soon.”

Before Anne could protest any more, Grace had escaped her grip and was heading back to the post office. 


	8. Chapter 8

Grace pulled out her pistol and was immediately rocked by another explosion. Angry flames erupted nearby as Mechs blew up and crumpled to the ground. She raised her eyes to the roof of the post office and saw that her fellow fighters were using rocket launchers to bring down Mech after Mech. They were blowing up left and right, going down in a delicious inferno and bringing their Skitter comrades down with them. 

One of them hit a little too close. Debris from the Mech came flying at her, knocking her down in the road. For a second, she was stunned. Then that familiar pain set in, her lower back throbbing, her scraped flesh screaming. She pushed away the piece of metal that was crushing her chest before curling herself up, shielding herself from the raining fire and debris. There was so much noise, so much smoke and destruction. She was sure she would be this battle’s next victim. 

“Ben?!” she called blindly, just hoping he could at least hear her over the moans of the Mechs and the persistent gunfire, the explosions, the screaming. “Ben!”

After a minute, she saw a hand appear through the thick smoke. She looked up through bleary eyes, seeing Maggie standing above her. Grace took her hand eagerly, spluttering, and Maggie led her to safety back inside the post office.

“Did you see Ben?” Grace asked hoarsely, her throat and lungs burning.

“He just left with the final group,” she explained. “It’s just us now.”

She let go of Maggie’s hand to see they had joined a small group of fighters. Hal, Pope, Dai, Anthony, and Weaver included. They were surrounded by debris and fire. They had slowed the enemy down, but they had no chance of getting out of there without some extra cover. 

“What’s the plan?” she asked, still coughing and wiping soot from her face.

Weaver looked between them all, a stern look on his face, before settling back on Grace. “We’re going to set Fitchburg on fire.”

* * *

Out of the frying pan and into the fire. Literally.

The few fighters who remained were tasked with spreading as much gasoline as possible. The precious fuel, siphoned from their vehicles, would now serve as their last ditch attempt for freedom. Grace and Hal covered them with the rocket launchers while Anthony, Spence and Pope tied containers of fuel to their bikes, soaking the streets in flammable liquid. 

“This is insane,” muttered Grace, the weight of the heavy launcher digging into her shoulder. “Who’s crazy idea was this?”

“Actually, it was mine,” Hal admitted.

Grace shot him an incredulous look. This war had driven her brother to either insanity or brilliance. Maybe it was both. Either way, they were desperate, and the rest of the group - including Captain Weaver himself - obviously had confidence in his plan. She instantly felt guilty for giving him such a hard time these past few weeks. If he had proved anything since their dad disappeared, it was that he could take charge when it counted. He was his father’s son and she was proud to be his sister, even if she hadn’t made that clear lately.

She turned her attention back to the plan: Dai was on the steps in front of them, lighting a match.

“Steady,” he said, watching the bikes in the distance leave trails of fuel straight towards the enemy. He waited until they got closer to the Skitters, until suddenly - 

“Now!”

Dai lowered the flame to the gasoline, the trail quickly blazing towards the bikes. Grace and Hal set off their rockets, watching with horror and exhilaration as the rockets hurtled towards the aliens.

Their fellow fighters leaped off their vehicles just in time for the bikes, the flames, and the rockets to hit the Skitters all at once. There were several tremendous explosions, almost like fireworks. Grace could feel the warm glow of the blasts, the bright light so blinding she could hardly see those alien bastards burning up. 

“Time to go!” Weaver yelled, ushering them towards a truck. They clambered in the back, Anthony getting behind the wheel. Weaver jumped in the passenger side and a second later, they were speeding through fires, leaving the enemy behind them. 

Grace covered her mouth and nose, the humid stench causing her to choke. She felt like she couldn’t breathe until they were away from the fires and outside the city lines. The burning roads and buildings began to shrink and the road ahead got quieter, darker, until they were out of it completely, and the burning Fitchburg was a terrible orange hue in the distance.

They continued driving until they found the remainder of the Second Mass on a hill overlooking the nightmare. Grace ran out of the truck to hug her little brothers, relieved they made it out in one piece. But as she looked around, the number of people seemed to have significantly reduced. Her mind raced.

“Where’s Jimmy?”

“I’m here!”

Smiling, she flung her arms around him, relief flooding through her. She pulled away to see Jimmy smiling, then that small grin faded and a look of concern took over his features.

“Did you find Nemo?”

Her own smile vanished. She shook her head. “Jimmy, I’m so sorry.”

He looked down, moisture pooling in his eyes. 

“Jimmy…”

She reached out to him, but he shook her off. “Thanks for trying,” he said quietly, then he walked away, refusing to look back. Grace frowned as she watched him. She hoped he would be okay. He would be. The kid was strong. But still, it would be a rough time getting there.

She overheard Ben talking to Hal and the others about Rick, who was also missing: “I never saw him in the tunnels. He might not have made it.” 

Grace could see the disappointment in his face. As weird and dangerous as Rick was, he was still the one person Ben could relate to about what he had been through. She never liked the kid (the post-harnessed version of him anyway), but she never wanted this. Especially after his dad, Mike, had died saving him. Rick hadn’t deserved any of what happened to him. And it scared her how close Ben was to having his story. He was still connected to the aliens just like Rick was. He could have come back more changed, disconnected from his family, from humans. He could have died alone just like Rick probably had. The thought made her tear-up, so she continued looking around. She was glad to see Anne, Lourdes, Jamil, and several other familiar faces. But there were still many missing…

A baby’s cry interrupted her thoughts and yet more relief washed over her. Sarah and Charlotte. Thank God! But when she turned around, she was confused to see Casey standing there with the baby. She was glad to see her friend had safely made it out, but still, the perplexity was clear in Grace’s face. 

“Sarah..?”

A deep look of sadness took over the older woman’s features. She avoided Grace’s gaze, glancing down at the weeping baby and looking as though she wanted to cry herself. “It happened so fast...I saw Charlotte there on the ground and...I just grabbed her.”

Grace felt her own eyes prick with tears. The admiration she once felt for Sarah had now turned to grief. She was in mourning for so many, as she overheard Captain Weaver estimate the final death count. 

None of it was fair.

It wasn’t fair that they lost over one hundred souls that night in Fitchburg. 

It wasn’t fair that the aliens were winning.

It wasn’t fair that they still had her dad out there somewhere. 

She watched the city blazing, watched it crumble to the ground and bury those evil Skitters. She watched it all turn to dust. She was lucky to be alive. She was always a heartbeat away from death, but she wasn’t dead yet.

She would heal, she would regain her strength. She would be back, and she planned to fight to the very last breath.

**To Be Continued...**


End file.
